Not Okay (High School Story)
by Darley1101
Summary: Diana Maddox isn't one to butt into her students personal affairs. But when she notices a change in one of her favorite students she can't help but step in. (Prompt: MC tells Ms. Maddox how she feels about her father and Emma's mother.)
1. Something's Wrong

**Title** : Not Okay

 **Author** : Darley1101

 **Rating** : PG-13

 **Choices Book** : High School Story 3

 **Premise** : MC tells Ms. Maddox how she feels about her father and Emma's mother. (Told from Ms. Maddox's point of view. Side Note since my MC is named Brittany that is the name I went with. She is also dating Michael in my game, so that is also the direction I took here.)

 **Author's Note** : If you are in favor of the relationship between "Scott" aka Dad and "Julia" aka Emma's mom then you may want to slowly back out of this story. I am anything but okay with the idea of the two. Most of my disdain stems from how unlikable I find Julia. I digress. Let's get back to my little story. I hope you enjoy.

 **Chapter One: Something's Not Right**

One of the hardest parts of being a teacher is figuring out when to talk to a student and when to take a step back. It was a bit like being a new parent, when you're trying to decide when to hold on and when to let go so the kid could learn from their own mistakes. At least that was how it felt to Diana Maddox. During her six years of teaching, any time Diana had seen a student struggle her first instinct had been to jump right in and offer to fix the problem; which became a problem itself. She'd had to learn the hard way that more often than not kids needed to fail so they could succeed. There were times, with certain students, where she couldn't bear the thought of them struggling. Sophomore Brittany Andrews was one of those students. Diana would like to think her interest in Brittany was because the sixteen year old was a sweet kid, and not because Diana had had a massive crush on Brittany's father in high school. Either way, when she seen the usually smiling girl sitting as far from her friends as possible, with a clenched jaw and what appeared to be unshed tears shimmering in her eyes, Diana knew she had to step in.

As the bell rang, announcing the end of home room, Diana rose from her seat and signaled for her class to wait before rushing out the door. "Don't forget that the school bake sale is next week," she announced in a loud, clear voice. "We still need volunteers to help sell, as well as donations of baked goods. And remember, if you help at the sale you will receive 10 extra credit points. I know, I know that's not a lot but…" her gaze settled on Morgan, "for some of you it could be the difference between passing and failing." She bit back a grin as Morgan dramatically rolled her eyes and tossed her bright blue hair over her shoulder. Her grin waivered as she noticed Brittany hanging back, letting her best friends Emma and Caleb file out the door before taking a step in that direction herself. "Brittany, could you come here for a moment?"

The teen froze for a moment, her blue eyes widening. "Um, sure, I guess so." Brittany wrapped her arms around her middle and started shifting from one foot to the other. "Am I in trouble for checking my phone? I know I keep saying it won't happen again but this time I mean it. See, I got into it with Michael before class and I didn't want to leave things like that you know? And so when he text me…I had to check-"

Diana held up a hand, silencing the anxious teen. "Brittany. Stop. This isn't about your phone. I promise." Not this time, at least. Plus, the girl wasn't nearly as sneaky with that phone as she thought. Diana could always tell when Brittany was texting in class and from the little smiles that usually lit up her face it wasn't hard to figure out that it was her boyfriend Michael texting her.

"Oh. Okay." Brittany's brow creased.

Diana gestured toward the desk right in front of her own. "Could you take a seat?" The frown on Brittany's face deepened. For a moment it looked as though she were about to protest, only to decide to obey. "The reason I asked you to stay is I couldn't help but notice you haven't been sitting in your usual seat. Did something happen with Emma or Caleb?"

"Caleb?" Confusion clouded Brittany's bright blue eyes. "I'm not upset with Caleb."

"And Emma?"

A loud sigh escaped Brittany's lips. "It's complicated." Her lower lip trembled a bit as her shoulders hunched forward.

Teenage girl drama was always complicated. It could range anywhere from not returning a borrowed hoodie to 'she talked to the boy I like.' Neither of those scenarios seemed to fit either Emma or Brittany though. Both had boyfriends and their style of dress was vastly different. "I hope you realize that you can talk to me. About anything. Including complicated best friend issues." Leaning forward on her elbows, Diana smiled gently, her caramel colored eyes softening.

"I know." Brittany tucked her chin against her chest. When she looked back up there were tears glimmering in her eyes. "I'm going to seem like a really selfish bitch Ms. Maddox."

Diana blinked. Brittany Andrews was one of the least selfish students she had ever taught. "I seriously doubt that Brittany. You're always stepping up to help your friends."

"Yeah, well you're wrong. I am. I'm a really selfish bitch." A tear trickled down her cheek. "Just this morning I told Michael I didn't want him talking to Maria anymore. That I wanted him to quit helping with the morning show."

That did not sound like the girl Diana knew. "And why did you do that?"

"I don't know!" Except there was something in her voice that said she did know. "No. Wait. That isn't true. I don't like how they have these little inside jokes and how they sometimes do things but they don't tell me unless I ask."

Oh boy. Boy drama was involved. Just not with Emma. The female in Diana wanted to ask if Brittany thought there was something going on between Michael and Maria, even though anyone with eyes could see how head over heels the Harrison boy was for Brittany. Not to mention, Diana was pretty sure Maria wasn't the type of girl to make a move on a friend's boyfriend. "Have you tried talking to them?"

"Not really. I don't think I could handle it if they told me…" Brittany burst into tears. "I'm so stupid. Michael and Maria aren't even what's bugging me. I know there's nothing going on."

"Okay," Diana said gently. She reached for a tissue from the box she kept at the edge of her desk. "So if you're not upset about Michael and Maria, then what are you upset about?" Rising from her seat, Diana walked over to Brittany. She pressed the tissue into the girl's hand. "And don't tell me its nothing. Something obviously has you upset."

"You're going to think I'm being stupid," Brittany hiccupped.

"I doubt that," Diana soothed.

"My mom died in a car accident when I was twelve," Brittany whispered. "It was really hard on my dad. I mean, it was hard for me too but my dad...he stopped smiling and joking around. It was like he was just going through the motions of doing what he had to do for me. And for a while there I didn't think he would ever laugh or smile or joke around again." She sucked in a big gulp of air. "When we moved back here he started acting like his old self. He's cracking jokes. He's smiling and laughing. He's even working on that stupid train collection of his again."

A lump formed in Diana's throat. She had known that Scott's wife had died in an accident. Cedar Cove wasn't such a big town that people lost touch with locals who moved off. Caleb Mitchell's mom had been the one to tell her about the accident; how Scott's wife had been driving home from work when some drunk hit her head on. A lot of people had expected him to move home right after. Instead he had waited almost four years before returning to his home town. Even after his return he had kept to himself. Rumor had it he went to work, then home to be with his daughter. He had no social life to speak of. Which was strange, considering how many of his former friends still lived in Cedar Cove; some of whom had kids that Brittany ran around with. "Are you worried that he's going to move on and forget about your mom?" It about killed Diana to ask the question but at the moment it was the only thing popping in her head.

"No. My dad loved my mom Ms. Maddox and I know that will never change. Just like I know that my mom would want him to be happy. I want him to be happy. Just not with Emma's mom."

And there it was, the reason for the emotional turmoil ripping through Brittany's life. Diana didn't know why she hadn't thought of _that_. Scott Andrews and Julia Mason had been the talk of their high school back in the day. Or maybe their relationship had only mattered to Diana because she'd had a ridiculous crush on Scott and hadn't understood what he seen in Julia. "Is there something going on between your dad and Emma's mom," she asked cautiously. This was starting to go in a murky direction. There was a fine line between helping a student and butting into personal matters.

"God, I hope not." Panic was starting to color Brittany's face. "I know that's what Emma wants but…"

"But that's not what you want," Diana finished.

"Right."

"Have you tried telling Emma that you're not ready to see your dad with someone who isn't your mom?"

Brittany let out a sigh. "It's not that Ms. Maddox. I swear it isn't." Shifting in her seat, Brittany started shredding the tissue. "I would be okay with my dad dating and maybe even eventually remarrying. Like I said, I want him to be happy. It's just…" she hesitated, "…have you ever met Emma's mom?"

"I have."

"Right. Of course. Parent teacher conferences." Brittany shook her head, strands of golden blonde hair sticking to her tear dampened cheeks.

"Actually, her and your dad were a few years ahead of me in high school," Diana chuckled.

"Really?" Diana nodded. "Huh. How did I not know that?"

"Because teachers don't usually discuss their personal lives with their students," Diana pointed out.

Brittany shrugged. "Right. That makes sense." She tucked her lower lip between her teeth. "So you probably understand why I don't want my dad with her. It just seems like she can't get her act together, you know? From Emma's said her mom didn't know how to function after her parents divorce because her mom had let her dad do everything."

"A lot of women struggle to get back on their feet after a divorce Brittany." That was something Diana knew about all too well. Granted, her ill-advised marriage had only last two years and part of the reason they had divorced was because Diana hadn't wanted to quit teaching to stay home and start a family.

"I know that! I'm not holding that against her. It's just from what my dad has said she was like that in high school too. Shouldn't she have figured out how to adult by now?"

There was nothing Diana could say to that because Brittany was right. By 40 most people, especially people with kids, had figured out how to make decisions. Julia was not most people though. Back in the day it had been a running joke that Julia was so indecisive that she would probably stand in a burning building and die from smoke inhalation while waiting for someone to tell her what she should do. Diana didn't know if Julia was still that way or if the struggling was due to learning to live without her husband around. "I think that some people take longer than others to figure things out," she said cautiously.

"That doesn't change the fact that my dad doesn't need that in his life. He needs someone who already has their shit together." Frustration tainted Brittany's voice. "I keep trying to tell Emma that I don't think it's a good idea to hook our parents up but she won't listen. She just goes on and on about how her mom finally looks happy and how maybe one day we can be sisters."

"Okay. So if Emma isn't listening, have you tried talking to your dad about how you feel?"

"No. I can't. For some reasons he's all stupid over Julia." Brittany rolls her eyes. For a moment it looked like Brittany was going to laugh but the giggle quickly became an odd sort of sob. "I wanted to talk to Michael about it, you know? I wanted him to tell me it was all going to be okay, that my dad wouldn't really be stupid enough to…to…get serious with someone like Emma's mom. He wasn't listening though. He wanted to talk about some idea Maria had for their show." No doubt that had been what caused the whole blow up over Michael's friendship with Maria. God, Diana did not miss being a teenager. "It feels like how I feel, what I need and want, don't matter to anyone. And that makes me think I must be selfish or something, right? Because if I wasn't wouldn't people listen? Wouldn't they understand where I'm coming from?"

"I don't think you're being selfish." Diana smiled gently. "Listen, I know all of this seems impossible right now and that nobody is listening to what you're saying but keep trying. Keep telling them how you feel. They're going to hear you." At least Diana hoped so. Giving advice was not something she excelled at. "Now, why don't you stop by the bathroom, splash some cold water on your face and then head to science."

"Thanks for listening Ms. Maddox," Brittany whispered before wrapping her arms around Diana's waist. Diana hesitated for a moment before patting the girl on the back. "Seriously, just having someone listen really helped."

"Any time Brittany. I'm always here to listen." Diana scribbled out a pass and pressed it into Brittany's hand. She stared after the girl for a moment before reaching for the phone on the corner of her desk. She picked up the handset and pressed '0.' "Hey," she greeted the front office secretary. "I need you to schedule a conference with Brittany Andrews father. The sooner the better."


	2. The Other Side

**Chapter Two: The Other Side**

The whiny tin of Kara Sinclair's voice was grating on Diana's last nerve. It took every ounce of will power to not leap over her desk, wrap her hands around the girl's throat, and squeeze. Homicidal thoughts were not the norm for Diana but there was something about the Hearst students, Kara Sinclair and Max Warren in particular, that made her think a prison sentence might not be so bad. Pressing the tips of her index and middle fingers against her temples, Diana let out an exasperated sigh. "Kara, could you please get to the point."

A gasp squeaked past Kara's lips, which open and shut rapidly like a fish gasping for air. "You can't talk to me like that," the girl seethed.

'And you can't threaten me the way you threatened your teachers at Hearst,' Diana thought. While Kara's father was the Hearst district board of education, he had nothing to do with the Berry school board. "Kara if you don't have anything else to say, I really need to prepare for my next class."

"Oh I have plenty to say! Starting with no matter how much you prepare, your class is still going to suck! And to think I was going to ask you to help with my prom queen campaign!"

Kara wasn't serious. Was she? Outside of making sure things were run honestly and smoothly, teachers had nothing to do with prom royalty campaigns. In fact there were rules stating that teachers could not promote, favor, or speak against students who were running for any school sponsored title. "I hate to break it to you Miss Sinclair but this is Berry not Hearst and teachers do not assist with prom campaigns. Now, if there's nothing else…nothing class related…I am going to have to ask that you head to your next class."

"You're going to regret this," Kara threatened before stomping off.

"No you entitled little brat, I really won't," Diana muttered as she logged on to her computer. The end of the school year could not come fast enough. Her sympathy over Hearst catching fire had waned within the first week of having to deal with the likes of Kara, Max, and that awful little girl Zoe. Any other time, with any other students, she would call in the parents. She wasn't going to waste her time talking to Kara, Max, or Zoe's parents. They had to already know what little shits their kids were and they clearly didn't care.

"Ms. Maddox?"

Diana looked up from the lesson plan she was supposed to be mulling over and found Emma Hawkins standing a few feet away. "Can I help you Emma?"

"I was wondering if we could talk. I could really use some advice."

Oh no. Diana felt her stomach sinking. Right now she could only think of one thing Emma might need advice on. "I'm always here to talk with my students, you know that."

"I know. I just know you're also really busy and I didn't want to interrupt." A small smile played across Emma's lips. She really was a sweet girl. A bit too emotional at times but a good kid none the less.

"I have a few minutes," Diana gestured toward the desk Brittany had sat in hours before. "So, what can I help you with?"

"It's sort of personal, not school related."

It was definitely about the situation Brittany had brought up earlier. Great, just great. "Well, if I can help, I will," Diana cautiously offered. That much was true. If she could help Emma realize that she need to talk to Brittany and listen to what her friend had to say, then Diana would feel like she had actually accomplished something. Not just for Brittany, but for Emma as well. And it would make her conference with Scott that much easier.

"Okay." Emma's smile broadened. "Did you know that my mom and Brittany's dad used to date in high school? How cool is that? And…" her smile grew even more "how cool would it be if they got back together?"

"Emma, have you spoken to your mom about this?" It was possible that Julia no longer carried a torch for Scott. Perhaps hearing her mother say it was never going to happen would put a stop to Emma's match making scheme.

"A little bit. She wanted to make sure I was okay with the idea of her possibly starting to date again."

Diana wanted to thunk her head against her desk. Of course Julia was still interested in Scott. Why wouldn't she be? He was handsome, he had a successful career, and had once been stupid enough to think Julia hung the moon. "Ah. Okay. Well, have you spoken to Brittany…asked her how she would feel about your parents dating." Why did that leave such a sour taste in her mouth? It wasn't like she was still that fourteen year old girl crushing on the good looking senior who smiled at her in the hall. And she had zero interest in Scott Andrews.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about." Emma reached up and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "I think Brittany's worried that if my mom and her dad get serious that my mom is going to try to take her mom's place."

"And why do you think that?" The urge to bang her head repeatedly against the desk was getting stronger. She was starting to understand what Brittany had been talking about. It was almost like Emma had the future all planned out.

"Think what?" Confusion wrinkled Emma's brow.

"Why do you think that is what Brittany is worried about?"

Emma let out a sigh. "I can tell she's not very keen on our parents dating and that is the only logical explanation I can come up with."

Maybe Emma was listening more than what Brittany thought. Listening, but not hearing. "Do you think maybe you should sit down and talk to her about it? Find out how she really feels?"

"I'm not sure I want to hear how she really feels," Emma whispered. "I know that my mom is nothing like her mom and that she can't help comparing them. I don't blame her for that. I just think if she were to give our parents a chance they could be really happy together."

"Emma, I really think this is something you need to talk to Brittany about. And I think when you do talk about it that you need to listen and try to understand where she's coming from."

"I don't think I can." It was pretty clear that Emma was starting to get frustrated. "To me it seems really simple. If dating makes our parents happy then shouldn't we put aside our own feelings?"

Diana blinked. Of all the things for Emma to say that was not what Diana had been expecting. "What do you mean when you say put aside your own feelings?" Emma glanced at the floor. "Emma, please talk to me. What did you mean by that?"

"Just that my mom is the happiest I have seen her in a long time and it seems like it would be really selfish to tell her that I don't want her dating my best friend's dad because I'm scared it's going to cost me my best friend." Without warning Emma burst into tears. "I feel like I'm in the middle of a tug of war match where I'm the rope. It's like when my parents got divorced and I had to take my mom's side because she didn't have anyone else."

"Oh Emma," Diana said softly. "Does your mom know that you feel like this?"

"No!" Emma's light brown eyes widen in horror. "And you can't tell her! Please Ms. Maddox! It would kill her if she thought I wasn't on her side."

Damn it Julia, Diana silently cursed. "I'm not going to tell her what we talked about but I do think it would be wise if the two of you sat down and talked about how you're feeling. And Emma you need to be honest with her. She's your mom. She's going to understand that you can't always agree with her."

"It's not that simple with my mom," Emma argued. "You don't understand."

Oh Diana understood alright. Julia needed to have someone on her side. "I understand more than what you realize. Talk to your mom. And talk to Brittany."

"I'll think about it."

Diana leaned back in her chair and let out a frustrated sigh as Emma slunk out of her classroom door. Emma wasn't going to talk to her mom and she wasn't going to talk to Brittany either. Part of Diana wanted to involve the guidance counselor, to just hand the whole mess over to someone else. The other part of her knew that she was the best person to handle what was going on. Besides, she'd already set up a conference with Brittany's dad. It wasn't like she could just call the guy up and say 'you know those worries I had about your dad? Well I don't feel like dealing with them so…you know…have a nice life.' Yeah, that would not go over very well. Not with Scott. Not with Ms. Hughes. Not with the school board. And not with Diana herself.


End file.
